Always There For You
by ChoCedric
Summary: Set in HBP. "I'm always there for you, Harry," Ginny whispers, holding him close. "I'll be there to comfort you when you feel guilt, and I'll help you whenever you feel as though you can't get through the war." A tender conversation by the Hogwarts lake.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

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Always There For You

By: ChoCedric

As soon as Ginny sees Harry sitting by the lake in their favorite spot, she knows something is wrong. His face is downcast, and he just sits there, unmoving. She has seen Harry brood like this a number of times, and she wishes she could take that lost and vulnerable expression off of his face and replace it with the happiness she so longs to see.

Before she even knows what she's doing, she's walking over to him and sitting next to him on the grass. But Harry is chewing his lip, deep in thought, and it seems as though he doesn't even know she is there.

"Harry?" Ginny says softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh! Ginny!" Harry exclaims, jumping out of his skin and swivelling around to look at her. "Sorry. Didn't know you were there."

"It's okay," says Ginny softly. "I'm sorry, too, I'm sorry I scared you."

"It's okay," says Harry, just as softly, and the couple lapses into silence. Ginny takes Harry's calloused hand in hers, trying to give him strength for the conversation she wants, needs, to have with him.

"Harry, what's wrong?" she finally asks. "What's on your mind?"

Harry's face flickers with an emotion she can't place, but then it goes back to the normal, stoic facade he always keeps up. "Nothing," he mutters.

"Harry." Ginny looks right into his haunted, deep emerald eyes. "Please don't lie to me. What's on your mind? I can help."

Harry sighs, and he knows he can't win. He stares back at Ginny and says, "I can't do it, Gin."

"Can't do what?" Ginny asks, concerned by the resignation and sadness in his tone, in the deep green eyes she could gaze into for ages.

"Be in this war," Harry replies, sighing again. "It's hopeless."

"Why do you say that?" Ginny whispers, a lump forming in her throat. "It's not hopeless, Harry, and no one expects you to save the world."

"But it's my duty," Harry argues, looking mournful and morose. "I told you what the prophecy said a week ago. Don't you remember?"

"There may be a prophecy, Harry, but you need to live your own life," Ginny says quietly, rubbing his hand with her own soothingly. "Neither Ron, Hermione, or myself expect you to vanquish Voldemort."

"I know it has to be done, though," Harry says, tightening his grip on her hand. "And Snape ..."

"Did Snape get you in this mood?" Ginny asks, a flare of anger firing up in her; trust Snape to get Harry so miserable. "What did he say?"

"He said I'd never make it, that I was a spoiled brat just like my father," Harry admits.

"But he's said that a thousand times before," Ginny says, not understanding. "What made it get to you so much this time?"

"Because he's right," Harry sighs. "I don't think about the consequences of my actions. I almost got Malfoy killed because I was stupid enough to use a spell on him that I didn't know the repercussions of. I got Cedric killed. I got Sirius killed. And I got my parents killed."

"That's nonsense and you know it," Ginny says firmly but gently. "As for your parents, Harry, they ..."

"It was because I was born that they died," Harry interrupts with a long, shuddering breath. "They went into hiding because of me, and were killed because I was in their way."

Ginny puts an arm around him, seeing the roil of emotions play across Harry's cherubic face. "They didn't die because of you, they died for you," she whispers sadly. "They died so that you could live in a better world, as did Sirius."

"But I don't want people dying for me," says Harry, his voice breaking. "I've had enough, Gin, I've just had enough."

"I know, love," Ginny soothes, hugging him closer and letting him bury his face in her shoulder. "But you need to understand that they did it because they loved you and still do, wherever they are now. And Ron, Hermione, myself, and the rest of my family love you too."

A single sob catches in Harry's throat as he gazes at Ginny. "You're too good to me," he whispers.

"No," Ginny replies. "You're too good to me."

The two are silent again, and then Ginny says, "As for Cedric ... Harry, you don't still blame yourself for that, do you?"

"Yeah, more than you know," Harry admits quietly. "Now I know how Cho feels, because if I lost you, it would break me. I didn't understand last year, but now I get it."

Ginny feels a tinge of jealousy at the mention of Cho, because she knows she was the first girl Harry ever crushed on, but she beats it down, telling herself that she has him now, that there is no need to feel bitter towards a girl who lost a lot because of Voldemort as well. She also knows that another reason for Harry's guilt is the fact that he hadn't much liked Cedric when he was alive, for he was dating the girl he'd wanted to impress.

"You won't lose me," Ginny promises, knowing that this life, and this war, holds no guarantees, but she will do her fierce best to stay strong for him, to stay alive for him. "But I can't lose you either."

"You won't," Harry promises back, and Ginny wipes the tears off Harry's face.

"Good," says Ginny. "And I'm always there for you, Harry, always. I'll be there to comfort you whenever you feel guilt, I'll be there to hold you when you're sad, and I'll be there to help you throughout this war. I love you, Harry."

"Thank you," Harry whispers, and brown eyes meet emerald green. "I love you, too."

And then their lips meet in a gentle kiss, and Harry's face relaxes.

For this one moment, all is right with the world.


End file.
